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What gear to bring for bugaboos trip?

Original Post
Jon D · · Carthage, NY · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 20

Hi all,

I'm planning a two week trip with a friend to the bugaboos late june and wondering what gear I should bring. I have a standard trad rack (BD x4 .2 to c4 #4, various nuts/tricams)and wondering what else to get.

1) Ice axe, I have technical ice tools, but I don't think that will do the job so looking into getting an ice axe. I'm looking at the CAMP nanotech ( backcountry.com/camp-usa-co…) and Petzl Sum'tec ( backcountry.com/petzl-sumte…). I want something that will get the job done for glacier travel but that I won't be cursing when its strapped to my back for the climb.

2) Crampons: I have grivel g12s and rambo 4 monopoints with anti bots. Which one should I bring?

3) Should I bring mountaineering boots (scarpa mont blanc) or can I get away with a pair of gore-tex hiking boots and approach shoes?

4) Is there any special gear, pro-wise that is especially helpful?

thanks guys, I'm pretty stoked for this trip.

Brian · · North Kingstown, RI · Joined Sep 2001 · Points: 804

You can get by with GoreTex hikers and strap-on 10 point crampons. Your G12s are a better choice than the Rambos. You can get by using an ice tool if you can get an alpine pick for it. Save some money. In June you may even get by without crampons if the snow is soft in the Bug/Snowpatch col. It depends entirely on what routes you are doing. I climbed there in early July and never needed crampons but it was a heavy snow year.

PeterW Whitmore · · Dryden, NY · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 50

We were there last august, so you may experience more snow than we did. I was perfectly happy with goretex hikers and mountaineering crampons. 1 technical tool was sufficient.

We did Northeast Ridge? (the 50 classics thing), Beckey-Chouinard and part of Surf's Up. Standard rack for NE ridge. Doubles from .5 to #4 were nice on BC. We used both #4 cams on about 4 or 5 pitches and not in situations where you could walk one.

I had my double ropes, which was a waste, because all the raps that we found are set up for single 60. On Beckey Chouinard we ended up packing one rope away because the descent is so wandery.

Hope that helps a little. Bugs are awesome, you'll have a blast.

Darren S · · Minneapolis, MN · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 3,388

When I went there I took an ice axe and used it most days.

For footwear, the most popular boot seemed to be La Sportiva Trango. I had heavy mountaineering boots at the time and they were a pain to deal with, lighter is better because you may be carrying them with you on a route. The main goal is to keep your feet dry as you walk around on the glacier. Most days going over the col was easy and I just used boots and an axe.

Crampon choice is going to depend on what kind works with your boot, I would recommend some kind of aluminum mountaineering version, again lighter is better since you might have to carry them up a route with you.

Gear selection is going to depend on which routes you want to do. We did Sunshine Cracks and used a double set of cams to BD 3 or 4 and a 5 would be nice also.

When we stayed up there for two weeks we made the mistake of carrying loads for the first two days. We were so spent that we took a rest day the next day, so we didn't start climbing until day four of the trip. With the tricky weather up there I would not do this again. I would take just enough gear and food to get you through a few days. You can always go back down to your car later to get more supplies if the weather is cooperating.

People up there also tend to donate their left over food when they leave so you might even get enough that way to avoid a resupply trip.

Hope this helps

Phil Lauffen · · Innsbruck, AT · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 3,098

Mosquito Flamethrower

Phil Lauffen · · Innsbruck, AT · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 3,098

High tolerance for suffering

DannyUncanny · · Vancouver · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 100

I wore low ankle goretex hikers. Might feet got wet every day, but they were light. I think something like this would be ideal: sportiva.com/products/footw….

For crampons I took the front points off my BD Sabertooths and strapped them onto my shoes with half inch webbing.

Hans Bauck · · Squamish, BC · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 2,099

You can get by with hikers/approach shoes, though you may get wet feet a lot of the time. High tops are nice to have.

I find myself leaving an ice axe and crampons behind on anything where I have to carry stuff over. You can rappel much of the Bug-Snowpatch col if it feels to sketchy to down climb without crampons/axe, so I wouldn't worry if your tools and crampons are too heavy.

Your rack is fine. I really like having double ropes, for rappels and for minimizing rope drag. You can get down most routes with a single 60m or 70m, but not Sunshine crack, which is an absolute must do. You will want a BD 5 for that.

Jon D · · Carthage, NY · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 20

Super stoked.

Planning on getting the Scarpa Charmoz GTX (trango look alike) so dry feet and the ability to climb moderate rock.

Dobson · · Butte, MT · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 215
Hans wrote:You can get down most routes with a single 60m or 70m, but not Sunshine crack, which is an absolute must do. You will want a BD 5 for that.
Haha, yeah. Pitch 2 is awful memorable if you don't bring wide gear.

Last time, I didn't bring boots (just Gore-Tex runners) and it was awesome. I wouldn't bring mountain boots unless mixed climbing was on the menu.
Martin le Roux · · Superior, CO · Joined Jul 2003 · Points: 401

You probably know this, but June is pretty early in the season. Have a look at acmg.ca/mcr/archives.asp for condition reports from past seasons. The Applebee campsite is often snow-covered in June and the Kain Cabin sometimes doesn't open until July.

Ellen.tradgirl · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 5

1. We could bring a 60, a 70, or double 60s, what is the consensus recommendation.
2. Is it safe to leave food in the vehicle for resupply, or are there bear problems at the parking lot.
3. If we get a tunnel tent, as we need a new one anyway, will it hold out against storm with rock staking?
Thank you

Brian · · North Kingstown, RI · Joined Sep 2001 · Points: 804
Ellen.tradgirl wrote:1. We could bring a 60, a 70, or double 60s, what is the consensus recommendation. 2. Is it safe to leave food in the vehicle for resupply, or are there bear problems at the parking lot. 3. If we get a tunnel tent, as we need a new one anyway, will it hold out against storm with rock staking? Thank you
The rope length depends on which routes you plan on doing. You can't get down on all routes with a single.
Do not leave food in your car. Bears will eat your car.
Don't know about the tent. I stayed in the hut.
Hans Bauck · · Squamish, BC · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 2,099
Ellen.tradgirl wrote:1. We could bring a 60, a 70, or double 60s, what is the consensus recommendation. 2. Is it safe to leave food in the vehicle for resupply, or are there bear problems at the parking lot. 3. If we get a tunnel tent, as we need a new one anyway, will it hold out against storm with rock staking? Thank you
1. Depends. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you can get down from all common routes except Sunshine with a 60m. Maybe not the north summit of Snowpatch? But you can't retreat from many of them with a 60m or 70m. Personally, I like doubles.

2. I have, but maybe I shouldn't have.

3. I would think so.
Stef Schiller · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 15

Thinking about going in for two weeks, but don't want to carry food for that long at once. If I can't leave food in the car, what are my options? Also, I have a Camp USA Corsa, a BD Venom or a standard mountaineering axe - which one should I bring?

Martin le Roux · · Superior, CO · Joined Jul 2003 · Points: 401
Stef S wrote:If I can't leave food in the car, what are my options?
If it's dried food in sealed packaging I think you'd be okay leaving it in the car for a few days. We were up there for a close on a week and didn't have any issues doing that. Obviously you wouldn't want to leave anything that gives off an odor.

If you're worried you could do a second carry the same day that you arrive. With a pack it's about a 4 or 5 hour round-trip.

Stef S wrote:Also, I have a Camp USA Corsa, a BD Venom or a standard mountaineering axe - which one should I bring?
I'd say bring the BD Venom, that'll give you the most options if any of the approaches are down to bare ice. If you're there early in the season and there's still good snow cover then a Corsa might be okay.
Jason Halladay · · Los Alamos, NM · Joined Oct 2005 · Points: 15,153

It's only one data point but during our week-long trip last year we left food in our car without issue and made a re-supply trip down to the car once during the week. I'd never heard any cautionary tales of food in cars being a bear issue there. I suspect the rabid car-hose-eating critters keep the bears at bay. :)

Ellen.tradgirl · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 5

To answer my own questions:
Doubles were fine, you can do a lot with a 70, but nice to have the flexibility.
The food left in the car was fine. We did leave packaged things or in a cooler and all covered from sight, plus the brake line protection. Use the food lockers up at Applebee for what you bring up.
The tent was fine, but it didn't get gnarly.
The trip was fantastic and I love Canada.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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